Apple's Asian supplier Hon Hai Precision Co. is working with Sharp on the designs

While Apple's iPhone and iPad are largely successful, there's one gadget the tech giant just can't seem to get off the ground: Apple TV.

However, a new report from The Wall Street Journal said that Apple may not be bombing out completely in the television realm as it's currently testing TV designs with component suppliers in Asia.

Two sources from some of Apple's suppliers confirmed that Apple is testing designs for a high-definition, large-screen TV set. They also mentioned that Hon Hai Precision Co. (which trades as Foxconn) is working with Sharp Corp. on the project.

While the TV is still in its earliest stages, this represents progress in Apple's TV venture, since products are usually developed and tested in-house before being sent out to suppliers. But it's important to keep in mind that Apple has tested many TV prototypes and this one may not make it to production, either.

Nevertheless, it's a spring forward for the successful tech company who could one day compete with the likes of Samsung, which is already a fierce competitor in the mobile hardware market. As far as television software, Apple could face competitors like Google with its own smart Google TV. Apple's iOS software for mobile devices already competes with Google's Android operating system.

Apple currently sells Apple TV, which is a $99 digital media receiver that plays content from the iTunes Store, YouTube, Netflix, Hulu Plus, etc. However, Apple wants Apple TV to be so much more. For example, a game console, the ability to receive live content over the Web, live content from television networks, surf the Internet, record shows via a built in hard drive, watch Internet videos and play pictures/songs.

Apple's biggest issue with making that dream a reality, however, is its inability to strike a deal with content providers on cable networks for live television content. Comcast and CBS have rejected any affiliation with Apple TV, saying that it wants too much control over the content.

Apple has been fighting this battle with content providers since 2005, but has been unsuccessful so far.

But that doesn't mean Apple TV is a total lost cause. The tech giant was still able to strike deals with content streaming services like Netflix and Hulu Plus to provide content that can be viewed on a television screen. In Q1 2012, Apple sold 1.4 million Apple TV devices, which isn't too bad, but of course Apple is striving for a better product and better sales.

quote: Yes you can install Windows and Linux on an Apple, but why would that be a selling point considering that your stance on OSX is being superior to begin with? Also why would that be a selling point considering you can also install OSX and Linux on a PC?

I was responding to a post saying that Macs were walled gardens, something that is ridiculous given that you can have full root level control of a Unix based operating system upon which you can install any application that you would like, not to mention other operating systems.

This point seems to have flown over all your heads seeing that everyone has moved onto something completely different.

quote: "Most developers I know work on Macs for this reason" is a personal statement, without any substantial evidence.

Those developers would be friends of mine that work at Google (only one of whom touches Windows specifically for games) and almost all my web developer friends. This is outside of the traditional "creative" fields such as the film business that I work in (lots of Macs there too, of course). I know, anecdotal evidence, but there it is.

quote: Windows PC based hardware is universally more powerful than the same X86 based hardware offerings that Apple decides to release.

They use top end mobile CPUs in their laptops. The limitations in GPU are driven by thermal limitations of having such slim chassis with an emphasis on battery life. Yeah, they could put in a mobile GTX 680 like you would with a Sager, but then you'd be looking at a 10 lb laptop that is 2" thick and has 90 minutes of battery life. Powerful but crap as a portable device.

quote: Now that we realize that all OS'es can be installed on either manufacturers hardware, we go back to the beginning, why again is Apple superior?

The hardware strikes an excellent balance between performance, battery life, and portability, and they have the best physical interfaces and displays. Very few laptops nail that balance as well. This is before we get to superior displays (Zenbook Prime is one of the other few decent ones out there), great keyboards (Lenovo also does a good job with this), and the best trackpad (complete with system wide multitouch gestures) on the market.

On a side note, I can take or leave Windows and OS X on the desktop, I'm happy with both, but OS X on laptops is totally superior. It is so much better at window, workspace, asset, and application management when you're working with a limited display size.

quote: Further alienating the argument, the demographic targeted by Apple, just wants everything to work, they do not want to have to install another OS, think for themselves, or are not tech savvy enough to do so.

They do want it to work, but to say that some aren't tech savvy is totally ridiculous. Anyone can assemble a PC, I've been doing that for almost 20 years, but that doesn't make you a genius.

The professional market sustained Apple far before when they broke through with the mainstream five years ago. There is a huge advantage to having a Unix based operating system with an excellent UI and centralized support that just works. Believe it or not there are lots of professionals who work primarily with Unix based operating systems, not Windows. Now, throw in an excellent OS along with all of that power under the hood and you can see why there is a market outside of it aside from "noobs".

I say this as someone that still assembles his own gaming PCs and has been using Microsoft operating systems for over twice as long as I've used Macs. I'm currently on an i7 with a GTX 680 and a 512GB SSD, and have only used Macs since 2002, so I'd like to think that I have a very balanced and informed opinion regarding the two.

And I didn't really bring consumer PC OEMs into it outside of the Zenbook Prime (Asus has one good notebook) because let's face it, most of them are absolute trash. Talking smack about companies that aren't Lenovo or Apple is like shooting fish in a barrel, way too easy. I reckon its why I will always put my own gaming PCs together.